Mile 81

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Synopsis

Mile 81is Stand by Me meets Christine—the story of an insatiable car and a heroic kid.

At Mile 81 on the Maine turnpike is a boarded up rest stop, a place where high school kids drink and get into the kind of trouble high school kids have always gotten into. It’s the place where Pete Simmons goes when his older brother, who’s supposed to be looking out for him, heads off to the gravel pit to play “paratroopers over the side.” Pete, armed only with the magnifying glass he got for his tenth birthday, finds a discarded bottle of vodka in the boarded up burger shack and drinks enough to pass out.

Not much later, a mud-covered station wagon (which is strange because there hadn’t been any rain in New England for over a week) veers into the Mile 81 rest area, ignoring the sign that says “closed, no services.” The driver’s door opens but nobody gets out.

Doug Clayton, an insurance man from Bangor, is driving his Prius to a conference in Portland. On the backseat are his briefcase and suitcase and in the passenger bucket is a King James Bible, what Doug calls “the ultimate insurance manual,” but it isn’t going to save Doug when he decides to be the Good Samaritan and help the guy in the broken down wagon. He pulls up behind it, puts on his four-ways, and then notices that the wagon has no plates.

Ten minutes later, Julianne Vernon, pulling a horse trailer, spots the Prius and the wagon, and pulls over. Julianne finds Doug Clayton’s cracked cell phone near the wagon door – and gets too close herself. By the time Pete Simmons wakes up from his vodka nap, there are a half a dozen cars at the Mile 81 rest stop. Two kids – Rachel and Blake Lussier – and one horse named Deedee are the only living left. Unless you maybe count the wagon.

11/22/63

The Colorado Kid

The Moonlit Mind (Novella)

Darkness Under the Sun (Novella)

Throttle

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

Mile 81

Average rating

3.7 / 5

Mile 81

July 25th, 2015

Another one of SKs stories that ends too soon and inexplicably. I always want more..to find out about what cused this and what happened to the peopleand why...but, i guess this is what short stories are for_ moreso than Books. Just to peak our imagination.

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Gayle Caudle

1 review

Mile81

July 22nd, 2015

Starts out tame then seds you into a terrifing spiral of horror and humans disregard of youngsters ,thinking they know better

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Myles Mcdonald

1 review

Mile 81

July 9th, 2015

I liked the story. I thought it could have been longer. Maybe gone into more detail. For a short read it definitely worth the time.

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Her Last Letter

1 review

A "Mile" too short

June 4th, 2015

Vintage Stephen King but far too short. I wish Kobo would include more info their bookstore site, such as date of publication and whether
this is a short story, novella, novel etc.

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Grant A.

1 review

Typical King

January 1st, 2015

He quickly draws you into the story and doesn't release you until he brings it to an end. Could this really happen? Of course not. But with King you can't be sure.

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Art Burton

1 review

Mile 81 by stephen king

September 24th, 2014

"One awesome book" king always gives his readers what they want!!!!

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Kimberly

1 review

Mile 81

August 26th, 2014

I enjoy reading everything Stephen King writes

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Tina

1 review

Very good.

June 16th, 2014

I liked it a lot. Not great but a good quick read.

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Redd.

1 review

Mile 81

June 8th, 2014

Classic King! Fell in love with your writing style with 'Carrie' back in '74 and have been a fan since. Thank you for the chills and thrills Mr. King.

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Norma

1 review

Milr 81

June 2nd, 2014

Typical Mr. KING. Would have liked a longer read. Too short.

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Mikey

1 review

Mile 81

May 12th, 2014

This is the worst book Steven King has ever written. A child could have done better. If not for the profanity, I would have thought a child had written it.

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S

1 review

Mile 81

February 14th, 2014

Yet again an awesome short story!

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Lynne

1 review

Childish novel.

February 8th, 2014

Waste of time and brain cells

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Erynn

1 review

Ugh

January 9th, 2014

Great til the abrupt ending!!!!! I wanna know what happened!

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Addymom

1 review

Great short story

December 29th, 2013

Like most if not all Stephen King books, this one is well done and quite worth the read. Being a short story, you can be done in an hour or two. Keep up the awesome work Mr. King !!!

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Kevin

1 review

Mile 81

December 29th, 2013

Pretty good for a short story. Stephen King can be hit or miss in that regard but I quite enjoyed this one.

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Sue

1 review

November 3rd, 2013

I enjoyed the book. It was my 1st Stephen King book. it's a short story but kept me interested throughout.

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Anonymous

1 review

Mile 81

October 23rd, 2013

Excellent afternoon read that leaves you wanting more.

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Wade

1 review

Good

October 13th, 2013

I loved this book also everything but the ending. The ending just left me there wanting more & with ?s.

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Paige

1 review

September 3rd, 2013

Was an interesting read and the book is not too long so you can read it in a couple of days.